ᐊᐧᐃᐧᓯᐦᒋᑲᐣ - wawisihcikan - adornment at FAB Gallery

DATE :

Current ExhibitionsEvents Indigenous artsVisual arts & new media Edmonton

A collection of traditional Indigenous items included a beaded necklace, earrings, bracelet and moccasins laid out on a white background

ᐊᐧᐃᐧᓯᐦᒋᑲᐣ
wawisihcikan - adornment
January 7-25, 2025  | FAB Gallery | Edmonton, Alberta
Reception: Saturday, Jan. 18, 12-3 PM

Curated by MJ Belcourt
Featuring works by Elaine Alexie, Erik Lee, and Carmen Miller

The travelling exhibit entitled “ᐊᐧᐃᐧᓯᐦᒋᑲᐣ wawisihcikan - adornment” takes a look at adornment through an Indigenous perspective. The meaning of adornment according to the dictionary states the use of item(s) that decorate, embellish, enhance, beautify, or enrich. It could be said adornment is the finishing touch that distinguishes the wearer.

Adornment from an Indigenous perspective goes beyond the items’ beauty. It is an artistic expression that conveys many levels of communication. It makes connection to a spiritual foundation, the importance to land and place, and defines inherent culture.

Early adornment provides a sense of knowledge about our ancestors that reflect the natural world in which they lived. The seasonal round of birth and rebirth shape our worldview in a circulatory way as everything is interdependent.

Spirituality has been the foundation for Indigenous peoples’ lives and an ‘intrinsic quality of creative activity.’ These artistic expressions were woven into the fabric of daily life. ‘Artifacts were generally created as items to be used, not as ‘art’. Bags, pouches, along with awl and knife sheaths were functional yet beautifully decorated’.

Through European contact and trade metal goods, cloth and glass beads were incorporated into the repertoire of the maker. Even as the use of trade materials increased, traditional styles of embellishment remained with the use of these traditional materials still being utilized to this present day, maintaining connection to ancestors and cultural traditions. ‘Contemporary artists/artisans are keenly aware of their responsibility as guardians of traditions from which their imagery and inspiration derive.’

‘More than beautiful ornamentation, adornment is a visual language expressing the joy of creativity, pride in attention to craftsmanship, and the desire to share with others. Above all, it honors oneself as well as one’s people by doing a thing well.’ (Sherr Dubin, Lois. North American Indian Jewelry and Adornment: From Prehistory to the Present)

This exhibition is organized by the Art Gallery of Alberta for the Alberta Foundation for the Arts Travelling Exhibition Program. TREX is funded by the Alberta Foundation for the Arts.